It’s a Kennedy clincher

CEDAR RAPIDS - Brian White was a bit numb to the accomplishment.

'How does this feel? I don't know yet,” White said after fourth-ranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy posted a dominating performance in the trenches and downed Cedar Falls, 21-7, to wrap up the Class 4A District 5 football championship Friday night at Kingston Stadium.

'This hasn't sunk in yet. It will. The kids have been playing for this week, this opportunity.”

Kennedy allowed just 118 yards - and only 31 through the first three quarters - and marched to 8-0 overall, 4-0 in district play. The Cougars will complete their first unbeaten regular season in school history if they can beat Waterloo West on the road next Friday.

The score was much closer than the action. Tyler Dralle ran for 189 yards on 38 bruising carries, and the Kennedy running game got better as the game progressed.

But it was the defense that owned this one. Consider this - at one point in the fourth quarter, the Tigers (5-3, 2-2) had more punts (seven) than first downs (three).

'(Assistant) coaches (Kyle) Knock, (Scott) Frederiksen and (David) Ernst, they've done an outstanding job with this defense,” White said. 'It's comforting to know at halftime when you're up 14-0 that the defense was going to come back out and play like crazy.”

Cedar Falls made its only successful march of the game in the fourth quarter, when it was down 21-0. The Tigers drove 92 yards, mostly from the arm of Taylen Alexander, to get within two touchdowns with 7:11 left.

They never got the ball back.

Kennedy started at its own 24 and played keep-away, with Dralle doing most of the damage. The Cougars picked up five first downs and killed the clock.

The final margin in yardage was decisive: 370-118.

Kennedy stymied the Tigers at every turn in the first half, holding them to 18 yards on the way to that 14-0 advantage at intermission.

Cedar Falls won the toss and deferred, and the Cougars marched to the lead immediately.

On third and 5 at the Kennedy 20, quarterback Nick Duehr dropped back, didn't find a receiver, then legged out a 65-yard scramble to move the Cougars into the red zone.

Three plays later, Duehr did find someone, rolling left and locating Zachary DeMaris at the front pylon for the touchdown. Alexander Stone's PAT gave the Cougars a 7-0 lead.

Kennedy struck again on its fourth possession. The Cougars marched 76 yards in 10 plays, with the assistance of a pair of 15-yard penalties, and capped it with Dralle's 1-yard touchdown run.

Dralle scored again on a 13-yard run late in the third quarter. Alexander's 3-yard TD pass to Tra'Von Fagan made it 21-7, and that was that. Dralle's output Friday gave him 1,346 yards this season on 239 carries.

Kennedy's last league title was an MVC divisional crown in 2007.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com